


The Highwaywoman and the Do Gooder

by Burgie



Series: SSO Wild West AU [13]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: Gen, Wild West AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 15:59:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15866949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Highwaywoman Willow Northbook finally gets brought in. Willow belongs to willownorthbook.





	The Highwaywoman and the Do Gooder

**Author's Note:**

  * For [willownorthbook](https://archiveofourown.org/users/willownorthbook/gifts).



Willow left a plume of dust behind her as she galloped out of town on her Paint horse gelding, taking the dirt road out of the town. The sack full of coins that she'd just robbed from the town's mayor jingled merrily at her side, bringing a smile to her face that quickly turned into a grin. Oh, it was good to be bad. Dark Corps might have skipped town without even giving her so much as a 'see you around', but Willow could still be perfectly bad by herself. Even if it did mean having to get herself out of danger many a time.

It had been quite the heist, really- the mayor was an idiot, a simpleton, a fool, to put it politely. In more impolite terms, the man was as dumb as a sack of potatoes, and that was the honest truth. Really, stealing from him had been like stealing candy from a baby. He'd even cried like one when Willow had pulled the knife on him. Of course, she hadn't spilled any of his blood, though. She hadn't needed to- he hadn't put up a fight, hadn't even called the sheriff. Then again, the only sheriff in this town was an old man by the name of Gavin who had more air between his ears than brains. But never mind. A steal was a steal, even if it did leave a bitter taste in Willow's mouth. But train robberies could wait until she had her team put together. If she ever got a team. The bandits didn't want to work with her, for some reason or another.

Willow rode her horse hard for several miles, glad that he never once faltered. He had been rather fresh when they'd left, after all, having eaten and drank his fill of the town's plentiful supplies for horses. This settlement, which went by the name of Jarlaheim, was quite famous for its horses, even going so far as to declare their stables 'Jorvik Stables'. Apparently, they had horses from the old days, all breeds that had come from the old country. It almost reminded Willow of home. Regardless, the horses had been beautiful, all well bred and well trained. Willow had considered stealing one, but the person in charge of the horses there, a man by the name of Herman, seemed to have a little more sense and would have surely put up a fight or at least had a gun.

The sound of approaching hoofbeats suddenly reached Willow's ears, causing her to curse and attempt to spur her horse on faster. But he was tired and struggled as he tried to maintain a gallop. Frustratedly, Willow let him slow down, not wanting to injure her only form of transport and best friend (she'd had another friend once, but that friend had probably long since cursed her name. Willow didn't blame her, she had tried to destroy their town, after all). The approaching rider didn't slow, though.

The hairs on the back of Willow's neck stood up an instant before a lasso landed around her horse's neck, another looping around her middle. Willow yelped, looking for her knife, but she was powerless to stop her quick (and painful) descent from the saddle where she landed with an 'oof' on the dusty ground. With the wind knocked out of her, all she could do was lie there and try to get her breath back. She wondered how badly hurt she was.

Gradually, Willow became aware of the silence that had befallen her. Was her horse still here? She listened carefully, trying to breathe quietly, and detected two panting horses and the steady breathing of another human. Great. Seems the mayor had sent out his forces anyway. Or maybe this was a bounty hunter, come to collect her head for a pretty shilling. Willow wriggled around, annoyed to find her hands tied behind her back and her feet similarly tied at the ankles. She'd been hogtied.

"I've gotta admit, you gave me quite the chase, there," said the other person, a young woman. Willow looked up, though it was difficult to see the woman's face in the sunlight that glared behind her. All Willow could make out was strands of golden hair escaping from beneath a grey hat. At least, she thought it was grey.

"So glad I could entertain you," said Willow. She wriggled her wrists, trying to escape. No dice. "Who are you?"

"The name's Alex Cloudmill," said the other woman. She crouched down, which would have been a bad position to be in, had Willow not been so powerless to stop her or injure her in any way. She guessed that she could try headbutting her, but Alex would likely be able to move out of the way in time.

"I can't say it's a pleasure to meet you," said Willow. "Given what you've done to me. Or are you like certain bandits I've heard of?"

"By Aideen, no, I'm no bandit!" said Alex, reeling back at the very idea. "What gave you that idea?"

"I don't know, Alex, you tell me," said Willow, gesturing to her bound wrists and feet.

"Yeah, I'm sure I had to do that because I'm a bandit and not because, I dunno, you've robbed a string of towns since you left our little town," said Alex, gesturing back in the vague direction of New Jorvik. In hindsight, maybe it had been a bit stupid to stay in a straight line.

"I don't recall ever seeing you around town," said Willow.

"Yeah, that's because my family are poorer than church mice," said Alex. "My mama did most of the grocery shopping, I helped out anywhere that needed it. When the town nearly went down, though, I decided that I could do more to help. So I went after you."

"I feel so special," said Willow, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Alex frowned.

"Maybe I should've gagged you," said Alex. "But hey, maybe I wanted the company." Willow rolled her eyes.

"So you chased me down just so you'd have someone to talk to? Wow, you really must be lonely. Or desperate," said Willow.

"Nope, just wanted to have a chat with you," said Alex. "About what happened. If I can figure out your motivations, maybe I can understand you a little more."

"And why would you want to understand me?" asked Willow.

"Haven't you heard the saying?" asked Alex. "Know thy enemy, Willow. It's the most important lesson you'll ever learn in life."

"Spare me the preaching," said Willow. "I'm going to get out of whatever cell you throw me in, I hope you know."

"How?" asked Alex, raising an eyebrow. "Dark Corps skipped town, or at least, Mr Sands and Sabine and Jessica and Katja did. I've heard that Darko's still out there somewhere."

"Planning on hunting him down next?" asked Willow.

"Nope," said Alex. "I've only got my sights set on you."

"Why, miss Cloudmill, I'd almost believe that you're flirting with me," said Willow, batting her eyelashes. At Alex's blush, she laughed.

"Get on your horse," said Alex, gesturing with her head. She grabbed a knife, which Willow recognised as her own, and sawed through the rope binding Willow's ankles together. It was rather difficult for Willow to mount, what with her hands tied, but she managed, though she growled with frustration when Alex tied her wrists to the saddlehorn and linked their two horses together with more rope.

"Are you taking me to the sheriff's office? About to cash in on a bounty?" asked Willow, keeping her tone airy despite the way her mind raced. How in the hell was she supposed to get out of this one? Like Alex had said, Dark Corps was gone.

"Nope," said Alex before Willow could start panicking over her state. "I'm taking you to a bar so I can get the full story."

"I don't drink," said Willow.

"They do serve water there," said Alex, as though talking to a simpleton. Willow pursed her lips, hating this girl.

"And how are you going to explain my wrists?" asked Willow. "I hardly think you'll just let me off my leash."

"Well, if you try something, I'm a quick shot with the lasso," said Alex. "And I can have you in a cell in seconds." Willow bristled. A trap without any physical restraints, but still a trap.

As they travelled, Willow looked at the girl who had captured her. Alex was pretty average-looking, as girls went, yet Willow could see muscles beneath Alex's brown roughspun poncho. The sight was enough to make her gaze linger, until Alex glanced over at her. Only then did Willow look away, looking instead at the palomino pony that Alex rode. It almost looked golden.

"The town's rebuilding pretty well, despite your attempts to destroy it," said Alex as they rode. "A lot of the townsfolk are still shaken, of course, things like this don't normally happen in sleepy little New Jorvik. At least the bar is doing a roaring trade." Willow smirked, even as she felt the tiniest stab of pain at the thought of one girl who would be frequenting the bar. She wondered how Roo was doing now.

"Who took over the shop?" asked Willow.

"Some old lady," said Alex with a shrug. "And don't get your hopes up, we researched her pretty thoroughly and she's as honest as they come. Certainly more honest than you."

"Are you going to interrogate me or is your goal to taunt me until I break?" asked Willow. "Because I'm not going to break down just because you call me names."

"Not even if I call you a snake?" asked Alex, glancing over at her. "A backstabbing lowlife? A fool for siding with Dark Corps? Or just the weak one they abandoned?"

"Shut up," said Willow, angry that the last one hurt. It had stung, so much, when Dark Corps had skipped town without her. When they'd just left her here, alone, to deal with the aftermath and run away from the authorities and the angry townspeople. She'd expected mobs, a warrant out for her arrest, a bounty for several million Jorvik Shillings or even Star Coins. But she'd only seen a few Wanted posters with her name and face, and she'd not seen or heard anyone chasing her until Alex today.

"You can't trust Dark Corps, Willow," said Alex. "They only take care of their own, and even then, they still expect their own to look out for themselves. Maybe they expected you to be on that boat before it left back for Jorvik."

"I did everything they asked," said Willow. "I was undercover for months, I gathered intel, I tried to win it for them. And what's the thanks I get? A life on the run."

"Crime never pays, Willow," said Alex. "I'm sorry you had to learn that the hard way."

"Don't you dare feel sorry for me," said Willow, anger lacing her voice. "I could kill you in your sleep."

"With what knives?" asked Alex coolly. Willow noticed, with a start, that the saddlebags that had once adorned her horse were now gone.

"You stole my stuff!" she cried, adrenaline spiking in her. "You bitch!"

"Just covering my bases," said Alex. "You're not going to be doing any more damage any time soon, Willow. Count on it."

"I thought you were the good guy," said Willow. "Or the good girl, rather. But you're just as mean as I can be. Maybe you could join me in my life of crime."

"I'll pass, thanks," said Alex. "My family and my town are all I need. Besides, I'm not a backstabber like you."

"Then you're a coward," said Willow.

"It doesn't hurt me because I don't believe your lies," said Alex. "Unlike you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Willow. Alex didn't answer, only continued to ride on.

At the bar, Alex bought Willow a meal and a glass of water. Grudgingly, Willow ate, though she kept an eye out for any escape routes.

"Why are you feeding me?" asked Willow. "I'm your prisoner."

"Prisoners still need fed," said Alex as she mopped up gravy with a biscuit. "Sides, you were lookin' a little skinny."

"Well, we can't all be muscular like you," said Willow.

"You noticed," said Alex, smirking. Willow blushed, annoyed, and went back to picking at her meal. Alex was supposed to be her captor, her enemy. So why the hell was she being so nice?


End file.
